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毗濕奴的第三代、第四代化身
這是一個有關創世的神話，當地球(prthivi)掉進荒蕪宇宙的之洋（cosmic ocean）時，Vishnu 以第三代筏羅柯（Varaha）化身野豬的外形，以擬人或半人半獸造形時有四個手臂，兩個持有車輪與海螺殼，而另兩個持鑭、劍或荷花或作出一種祝福的姿態（mudra），打敗前來阻擋的第一代阿修羅希羅尼亞剎(Hiranyaksa)出面拯救地球。
故事是從Brahma創世後製造第一個智者 Kashyap他有四個妻子Diti, Aditi, Vinita 和 Kudroo。Aditi 生下神、Vinita生下Vishnu的座騎靈鳥加魯達(Garuda)、 Kudroo 生下了九頭蛇（hydras）、而Diti 則生下阿修羅，其中兩個叫做 Hiranyaksha和Hiranyakashyapu的阿修羅特別用心苦修具有超級神力，於是有了Vishnu 第三代、第四代化身的故事。。。
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Vishnu 第三代化身筏羅柯（Varaha）
有了超能力的 HIRANYAKSHA 當然到處找對手，還攻擊諸神的殿堂，諸天只好又躲到不行，這刺激了 Hiranyakasha 變得更傲慢，到處毀滅破壞。
在宇宙解體Pralaya（梵語dissolution of cosmos）的末期，創造神還在從事祂繁忙的創世工作手忙腳亂時，一不小心大地之母（Bhoomadevi →地球）被拋到洪流中，最後被淹到海底。Brahma 試著撈了幾下洪流中沒撈著，其他事又讓祂忙得沒法兒繼續撈，只好祈禱\Vishnu來幫忙........祈禱\中從 Brahma的一個鼻孔彈出一隻只有吋丁點大的小小豬，布拉馬感到十分詫異和盯著它，但頃刻間小小豬就長得跟山一樣大，Brahma 終於確定 Vishnu 這位老兄出馬幫忙囉～～～
一聲威武的鳴聲，公豬躍升到空中，凌空三滾翻從雲層射入海底尋找大地之母，不眠不休的尋尋覓覓，終於把在大洋床另一端的地球給撈上來。
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http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/South%20India/Mahabalipuram/Mahabalipuram.htm
World Heritage Sites - Mahabalipuram - Cave Temples
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http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/vasu/traditions/chapter10/badami.htm
Badami Caves, 6th century CE
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Relief of Vishnu as Cosmic Boar (Varaha) rescuing Earth Goddess (Prithvi) from churning ocean
Gupta, Early 5th century AD
Cave 5, Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh, India.
This five foot tall image of Vishnu\'s Boar Avatar (here shown rescuing the Earth, who is hanging on his tusk, with the worshipful masses standing in homage by the sides) was sculpted out from a rock face at Udayagiri in central India. This image was in the personal temple of King Chandra Gupta II (ruled 376-415 C.E.), and his choice of the Varaha Avatar carries enormous symbolic weight.
A recurring motif in the tales of Vishnu\'s avatars defeating evil and chaos, and reestablishing order and balance in the universe. After defeating the Shaka kingdom, Chandra Gupta II became the overlord ruling over much of north India, and his patron deity surely represents how he saw himself--as a manifestation of Vishnu on earth bringing order to the world through exercising his power and righteous rule.
http://personal.carthage.edu/jlochtefeld/picturepages/vishnu.html
Hiranyaksha 看到這幕，才不管人家正在忙正事，擋到公豬面前又要單挑。
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http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/kids/stories/avtaars/varaha.htm
也有這麼一說：At that time Manu and his wife Shatarupa ruled over the earth. Hiranyaksha snatched away the earth from them and drowned it into the ocean. Mother Earth sank to the bottom of the ocean.
與惡魔大戰了一千年後終於中殺了Hiranyaksa，並用野豬的尖牙把大地托出海面，放回原來在宇宙中的位置，使世界免於洪水的侵蝕再進入另一個劫數（KALPA）。
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http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/southasia/soa3.html
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http://www.hindupaintings.com/product/HD86/
與惡魔大戰了一千年後終於中殺了Hiranyaksa，並用野豬的尖牙把大地托出海面。
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http://www.tamilnation.org/culture/cholabronze.htm
Bhu-Varaha,
Vishnu\'s Avatar as Gigantic Boar Embracing Goddess Earth, Chola period, circa 1300
參考資料：
http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_varaha.html
http://www.panchangam.com/varaha.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varaha
http://www.glimpseofkrishna.com/individual/nrsimadeva-1.htm
- by Janaki Krishnan
Last week, I visited my friend Nirupama in Dadar. It was 10:00 in the morning. \"Where is your son?\", I asked her. \"Oh, that Kumbhakarna? He\'s still asleep\", she said in Marathi. We both laughed. She was referring to the demon Kumbhakarna who slept for 6 months in a year, and could only be woken up with loud drumbeats and trumpets.
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As I walked home, I thought about how Indian languages, even in common usage, are rich in mythology, and how a single mythological reference easily conveys a wealth of meaning.
I remember my grandmother, who was laid down by cancer in her later years, referring to my mother as Bhoomadevi - Mother Earth, for all the burdens she shouldered so patiently.
不小心找到 Janaki Krishnan這篇神話與生活的文章，挺可愛的。先轉貼相關部分.....看了有點感傷，因為有位蠻有交情的同事最近被診\斷出癌症.........我與她年齡、個性都有些相似，只是她比我積極與勇敢多了..............
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